As the City Stretches – Part 1 - The Pursuit of Sustainable Development
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- Published on 19 December 2012
- Written by Brian Letwin
Over the past decade, Saigon has outgrown its traditional boundaries, forcing development not only vertically but horizontally. As the sky above District 1 becomes increasingly crowded and land scarce, city planners have been looking for ways to expand Saigon’s business center.
Vietnam’s Long Road to High-Speed Rail: Past & Present
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- Published on 19 December 2012
- Written by Brian Letwin
While we dream about subway systems in Saigon and Hanoi, another major project is on the minds of engineers and urban planners – high speed rail. Already the standard in Japan, China and Europe, there are two projects in the works that could bring the technology to Vietnam. But before we look at the future, let’s take a look at the history and present state of Vietnam’s railway system to see why so many are pushing for a complete overhaul.
Old Saigon: Pictures from Life Magazine
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- Published on 02 November 2012
- Written by Brian Letwin
When looking at old pictures of big cities, what usually strikes us is how different yet similar things are today. Back in the 50s, Time Magazine ran some great pictures of Saigon, capturing its initial rise as “Pearl of the Orient”.
Contrasting Past & Present
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- Published on 01 November 2012
- Written by Brian Letwin
If you love old Vietnam photos as much as we do, you’ll get a kick out of these which contrast the present and past of some of Vietnam’s most famous sites.
Bringing Back the Green
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- Published on 31 January 2012
- Written by Brian Letwin
The idea of “going green” is gaining popularity in our fair Vietnam, and while the government talks about it on a national level, there are plenty of good examples of individual applications of the concept.
